“For that reason, We decreed for the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul—unless in retaliation for a soul or for corruption in the land—it is as though he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a life, it is as though he has saved all mankind. Our messengers certainly came to them with clear proofs, yet even after that, many of them persisted in transgression throughout the land.” (32)

His words, exalted is He, “For that reason”: Abu Ja‘far recited it as min ijli dhalika, joining the final n to what follows, whereas the majority recited it with the final n unvowelled. That is, because of that murderer and his crime. It is said: ajala ya’jilu ajalan—when someone commits an offense—just as one says: akhadha ya’khudhu akhdhan.

“We decreed for the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul—unless in retaliation for a soul”: that is, if he kills someone, he is subject to legal retaliation. “Or for corruption in the land”: meaning, without the person having killed a soul or committed corruption in the land, such as disbelief, fornication, highway robbery, or the like. “It is as though he has killed all mankind.”

They differed regarding its interpretation. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, in the narration of Ikrimah: “Whoever kills a prophet or a just leader, it is as though he has killed all mankind; and whoever supports a prophet or a just leader, it is as though he has saved all mankind.”

Mujahid said: Whoever kills an inviolable soul will enter the Fire because of killing it, just as he would enter it if he had killed all mankind. “And whoever saves it”: whoever remains free from killing it has remained free from killing all mankind.